Field Guide to Fledglings
It’s fledgling season. Those shaggy, frizz-headed preteens are hopping around everywhere! Many can’t fly yet, but this is normal. Their parents are usually close by and feeding them.
Field Guides
The Beautiful Barn Owls
If your interest is beautiful birds, don’t neglect the distinctly beautiful Barn Owl. As with many owls, they are nocturnal predators that aren’t often seen.
Birding with Kids, You Don’t Have to be an Expert
Birding is a fun, low-impact outdoor activity that adults and kids can share together. Here are a few tips I recommend for getting started, keeping it interesting, and being safe, especially in the time of social distancing.
A Great Time to Start Backyard Bird Watching
I got a call asking how to get birds to a feeder and asking what birds would they see. Oh boy! Now I have two family friends asking me how to start up a little bird watching in their backyard.
Identifying Bird Calls
I’ve been watching and identifying birds since I was a kid. Hawks and owls were favorites, and eagles were best if I would ever see one. I could identify some woodland birds if they were colorful. My real birding didn’t begin until …
Birding Evolution and Economics
It wasn’t that long ago that birds were pretty much taken for granted and bird watchers were few. Egrets were hunted for their plumage and ducks were shot by the gross. Backyard woodland birds were target practice for BB guns and rifles.